‘All the more reason to admire your courage.’ Dr Godfrey went to open the door, but he hesitated, looking back over his shoulder. ‘I want you to think of me as a friend, Judy. Perhaps we could start by you calling me Ben.’

‘They call you Dr God at the hospital.’

‘I answer to anything but that,’ he said, laughing. ‘But I hope you’ll come to me if you have any more problems. I’m returning to London tomorrow, where I hope to raise the money to buy the land when it comes up for sale, but I’ll be back in Little Creek quite often.’

‘But what will happen to Dr Neville’s hospital if you build a larger one on the other side of the creek?’

‘We’ve talked about that, and we will work together to make sure that Creek Hall Hospital remain the centre of excellence for the village, but it’s too small for our purposes. The new venture will be more specialised.’

‘It sounds very exciting,’ Judy said earnestly.

‘It is. I can hardly wait to begin.’ He hesitated in the doorway. ‘Don’t work too hard. You need to look after yourself, Judy.’

Judy acknowledged this statement with a brief nod, but she did not respond to his engaging smile, and as he left the room she went down on her knee to resume her work. She admired Dr Godfrey tremendously, but it would take her a long time to recover from Jack’s sudden departure, and she might never cease to wonder if she had made the right decision. As things were, she had no interest in exploring a new relationship.

‘Judy! Haven’t you finished in here yet?’ Hilda stood in the doorway, arms akimbo. ‘You should have gone home and rested, as I said.’

‘I’m all right, Ma.’ Judy stood up with difficulty. She did not want to admit it, but her mother was right, and now every bone in her body ached. ‘I’m coming now.’

‘I should think so. Anyway, Dr Neville has given me a bottle of arnica to put on your bruises, and I want you to have a lie-down when we get home.’

‘Yes, Ma.’ Judy had no wish to return to the tiny cottage overlooking the creek, but she had no choice.

Nancy Noon was leaning against her doorpost when Hilda and Judy arrived. ‘I thought he was going to kill you, duck.’ Nancy took the clay pipe from her lips and puffed smoke into the air. ‘I thought about coming round to help you, but I know what men are like when they get like that. I need to take care of meself so that I can look after my aged ma.’

‘Yes, Nancy. Thank you.’ Hilda unlocked the door and hurried into the gloomy living room.

‘Are you all right?’ Nancy asked, peering at Judy. ‘He didn’t – you know what, did he?’

Judy shook her head. ‘I’ve got a few cuts and bruises, but otherwise I’m fine. Thank you for asking.’ Judy hurried after her mother and closed the door before Nancy could hop over the low fence and follow her inside. Nancy was the village busybody. She knew everyone’s business, and it was best to avoid her if possible.